The Lion King: Titan Style
by BG-13
Summary: Basically what the title says...
1. Circle of Life

The sun rose over the Savannah of the African horizon. Turning the sky from black to red and finally, to a light orange as it rose higher and higher into the sky. Animals from all over the savannah, from the watering hole to the chasms, started to head in the direction of Pride Rock.

_From the day we arrive on the planet_  
_And blinking, step into the sun_  
_There's more to see than can ever be seen_  
_More to do than can ever be done_  
_There's far too much to take in here_  
_More to find than can ever be found_  
_But the sun rolling high_  
_Through the sapphire sky_  
_Keeps great and small on the endless round_

They hopped, galloped, walked, and flew to get to the massive structure in the middle of the grasslands. And at this structure, at the entrance of a small den, were all the lions would usually sleep, lay a darkly colored green lion and dark jade eyes and a lightly green lioness with pale blue eyes. The lion looked at his wife with adoring eyes and she looked down to the small baby cub in her arms. He was the spitting image of his dad but with a small tuft of hair on his green head. He looked up and blinked up at the two bigger lions as a red furred baboon with an orangey skin tone on her hands, feet and err…bottom, made her way toward them and picked up the small cub gently. Her light green eyes probed the small cub.

_It's the circle of life_  
_And it moves us all_  
_Through despair and hope_  
_Through faith and love_  
_Till we find our place_  
_On the path unwinding_  
_In the circle_  
_The circle of life_

She cradled him in her arms and started to walk toward the edge of the massive ledge, and once there she looked out at the mass of animals that had gathered at its base and were cheering wildly for the presentation of their young new prince. The baboon looked over her shoulder at the two larger lions and smiled a knowing and cheerful smile before using her free hand to smudge a paint like substance on the cub's forehead. She looked back out at the crowd and raised the cub up for all to see. The crowd cheered harder and louder.

_It's the circle of life_  
_And it moves us all_  
_Through despair and hope_  
_Through faith and love_  
_Till we find our place_  
_On the path unwinding_  
_In the circle_  
_The circle of life_

**** In the lower part of Pride Rock's structure lay a huge orange lion with a white mane. His left eye was a dark blue while his right eye had a large black scar that sealed it shut. He lay there, while playing with a little gray mouse. The mouse tried to run for the crack in between the rocks, just when it had almost made it he smacked his paw on top of the smaller and weaker creature before lifting it up by its tail. He almost seemed to give it a pitying look. Almost.

"Life's not fair, is it?" he asked it. "I will never be king and unfortunately for you, you will never see the light of another day. Tragic isn't it?" He lifted the mouse above his head and was about to devour the helpless creature when someone interrupted him.

"Slade, didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with your food?" The lion – Slade – looked over and saw a small little blue hornbill with white under feathers and a midnight black beak. Slade put his paw down and kept the mouse from going anywhere by holding its tail. He rolled his eye.

"What do you want, Garth? Cant you see I'm in the middle of something…important?" Garth shook his feathered head, and announced with an exaggerated bow,

"I'm here to tell you that King Marcus is on his way to, hopefully, chew you out. So what's your excuse this time for not showing up at the presentation?" It was at this moment that the mouse took advantage of the lion's distraction and scurried back into its hole.

"Now look what you've done Garth, you made me lose my lunch." Garth scoffed.

"You'll be losing more than your lunch when the King gets a hold of you, One-eye. He's madder than a hippo with a hernia!"

Slade smiled wickedly at the blue and black hornbill. "Is that so? Well how about instead you make it up to me." As he said this he started to saunter toward the now scared bird.

"Slade…what are you-? No! Don't! Noooo!"

"Slade!" The orange lion turned around to see Marcus, standing on one of the higher rocks. "Spit him out." Just then a black beak poked itself out of Slade's mouth.

"Amazing timing, your majesty!" Garth said relieved. Slade rolled his eye and slowly spit the annoying bird out. Once out Garth sat up and moved his wings that were now covered in saliva and shuddered. "Gross."

"Well if it isn't my brother, come to mingle with the common folk. How is the view from up top?" Marcus seemed to narrow his eyes.

"Marie and I didn't see you at the presentation of Logan. Care to explain?" Slade feigned shock.

"That was today? Oh I feel just awful," he said scraping his claws against the rock causing Garth to cringe at the awful sound it made. "It must have…slipped my mind," he finished sounding less sorry.

"Yes we all know how _slippery_ your mind is," Garth muttered. "But we expected you to be first in line," he finished. Slade gave him a look that said, 'I'm not afraid to eat you right now' then turned his attention back to Marcus.

"It is a pity I missed the little hairball's presentation. Nothing we can do about it now though."

"That hairball, Slade, is my son, and your future king." Slade put his paw up to his mouth, with his pinky extended up.

"Then I best start practicing my curtsy. Don't want to seem rude." He started to walk away when Marcus called out,

"Don't turn your back on me, Slade."

"Oh Marcus, _dear_ brother, I wouldn't _dream_ of it," Slade said as he continued to walk away. Once he was out of earshot Garth and Marcus shared a collective sigh.

"There's always _one_ in every family sire. Two in mine. And they always manage to completely ruin even the best of celebrations." Marcus shook his head.

"What am I going to do about him?" Garth seemed to really think about it then gave a small smirk.

"Well he _would _make a _very_ useful throw rug." Marcus looked at him.

"Garth."

"Well just hear me out. When he gets dirty you can go out and beat him and you won't hear a single complaint!" Garth seemed to really love this idea, but Marcus shook his head and chuckled.

**** Across the savannah in a fat and lush tree, Kori, the baboon who had presented Logan, stood looking at the painting of a small lion. She muttered some words that were incoherent to the other monkey that sat up in the higher branch of the tree. He stared. "What are you doing Kori?" The red monkey looked up at her companion.

"Nothing." She grinned then with her thumb marked a line across the forehead of the painted cub. "Logan…" she muttered. Then with a hearty laugh, she said, "I have a good feeling about this one, Rich, a very pleasant feeling." The other monkey – Rich – cocked his head to the side.

"If you say so Kori," he replied cautiously.

****** Months past and Logan was no longer a little baby, he was now an energetic young cub. The little green haired lion cub ran out toward the edge of the rock that looked across the entire savannah, the sun not even in the sky yet. He smiled excitedly and raced back into the den, climbing over the other lionesses and saying sorry when he happened to accidentally kick one. He finally made over to where his parents lay sound asleep. "Dad! Wake up!" he called. Marcus didn't even twitch. "Dad, come on! You promised to show me stuff today! Dude wake up!"

Marcus groaned as his son tried pulling on his ear and then biting and pushing. "Your sun wants you," Marie said groggily. Marcus replied just as groggily,

"Before sunrise, he's all yours." Finally Logan decided to headbutt the older lion, which grabbed his attention.

"You promised!" Logan said accusingly. Marcus looked at his wife, who smiled triumphantly, then back at his son.

"Ok. Ok. I'm up. I'm up," he said with a chuckle. He yawned as Logan smiled, showing that one prominate pointy tooth that poked out, and started to run back outside. Marcus looked at Marie again and he whispered, "I don't know where he gets it." Marie chuckled and then smiled knowingly.

"He's _your_ son alright." They both chuckled as they followed Logan out of the den.


	2. Reports and Kings

As they made their way out, Logan rubbed up against his mother, purring slightly before running to catch up to Marcus, who was already seated at the edge of Pride Rock's mouth. Marie had decided to seat herself at the entrance of the den. Logan made his way over to Marcus and sat beside him as the king smiled down at his son. He then turned his attention back toward the horizon. "What do you see Logan?" he asked. The young cub looked over the savannah, smile still not leaving his eager face. "This is our kingdom…everything the light touches is what we must look after."

"Dude…" Logan murmured with awe. "You mean all of it?" Marcus nodded.

"And when my time as king is over, it will be your turn." Logan's pointy ears perked up higher than they already had been at this.

"You mean everything will be mine?" Marcus nodded. "Everything the light touches." The young green cub examined the entire savannah and his eyes landed on a dark, shadowy part where nothing seemed to live. "What about that gloomy looking place over there?" Marcus followed his son's gaze and his face darkened slightly.

"That's beyond the borders. Its off limits Logan," he replied vaguely. Logan looked up at his dad.

"But I thought kings could do anything they wanted without getting into trouble?" The thought itself is what Logan liked.

"There's more to being king than just getting your way every time son," he replied amused.

Logan's eyes lit up. "Dude, there's more!" Marcus chuckled and shook his head at his son's misinterpretation but said nothing to clarify. Marcus and Logan climbed down from Pride Rock as Marie watched them go and head for the grassland. As they arrived, antelope started to gallop by and Logan watched.

"You must learn to respect all of the creatures around us, from the tiniest of ants to the biggest of elephant. Even the antelope." Logan looked up confused.

"But don't we, you know, eat the antelope?" Marcus nodded.

"Let me explain. When we die, we become the grass, then the antelope eat the grass, and we eat the antelope. It's the role we all play in the circle of life."

"Good morning Sire and young prince!" Both lions looked up to see Garth flying down and landing on the rock in front of them. "How are your mornings going today?" Marcus smiled while Logan rolled his eyes at the bird. Ever since he was born Logan had found the hornbill annoying.

"Just fine Garth. What brings you here?" Marcus replied.

"Just dropping in with the morning report sir!"

"Let's hear it."

_Chimps are going ape, giraffes remain above it all  
Elephants remember, though just what I can't recall  
Crocodiles are snapping up fresh offers from the banks  
Showed interest in my nest egg but I quickly said, "No thanks!"_

Garth went into the morning report and Marcus listened with feigned interest while Logan just simply tuned the hornbill out. A gopher popped up from the ground and Logan finally had a good distraction. He pounced but the gopher just ducked back into the ground before the young lion could even get close. Logan looked down in the hole but his face came back up as he heard Garth continue on. He sighed.

_We haven't paid the hornbills and the vultures have a hunch  
Not everyone invited will be coming back from lunch  
This is the morning report  
Gives you the long and the short  
Every grunt, roar and snort  
Not a tale I distort  
On the morning report  
_

The gopher reappeared and waved, apparently trying to get Marcus's attention but Logan spotted him and tried again but the gopher pulled another disappearing act but quickly popped back up in another spot, which Logan followed him. This continued on a few more times. "Dude, would you stop doing that?" Logan asked with a small snicker. He was having fun even if he couldn't catch the rodent. Logan pounced but instead, as soon as the gopher went back down, Logan hit his head against a rock, causing Marcus to look at the sound.

"What're you doing?" he asked completely ignoring Garth now. Logan rubbed his head.

"Pouncing." Marcus suddenly had a devious grin that Logan didn't even know he had.

"Well then, why don't you let an old pro show you how it works." He placed his paw on Logan's back. "I want you to stay low to the ground," he said in a low tone.

_The buffalo have got a beef  
About this season's grass  
Warthogs have been thwarted  
In attempts to save their gas  
Flamingoes in the pink  
Chasing secretary birds  
Saffron is this _season's_ color  
Seen in all the herds  
Moving down the rank and file  
To near the bottom rung  
Far too many beetles are_

"Low. Ok check."

"And don't make a sound," Marcus continued to instruct. "And just one more step." And with that Logan pounced on the smaller bird.

_Quite frankly in the dung  
Aaaaaaaaak!  
_

Garth glared up at the lion that was standing on top of him. Then Logan started to say something, imitating the hornbill.

This is the morning report  
Gives you the long and the short  
Every grunt, roar and snort  
Not a tale I distort  
On the morning report

Logan smiled and the pounced off toward his dad just as the gopher from before popped up beside the blue and white bird.

"Um, sir we have news from the underground." Marcus was just about to instruct Logan on his pouncing when Garth called over.

"Sir, there are hyenas in the Pride Lands!" Marcus's face turned serious and as he ran off he told Garth to take Logan home.

"But Dad, can't I come with you?" But Marcus was already gone. Logan sighed and then looked over at the bird that was escorting him with a sheepish grin. Garth just rolled his eyes and started to lead the cub home.

"Look on the brightside. One day you will be king and then you can chase those idiotic, slobbery, mangy poachers from dawn till dusk. And what's better is that you'll be out of my hair and will quit using me for pouncing practice." Logan couldn't help but laugh at that.

***** Slade lay on the lower rocks of Pride Rock in the shade provided by the over hang of rocks above him. He knocked a bone that was just within reach of him off the edge just as he heard his nephew's voice. "Hey Uncle Slade, guess what?"

"Do I have to?" Slade replied as he lifted his head to see Logan then lay it back down. "Guessing games have never been my favorite thing."

"Nah, you don't have to."Logan smiled. "I'm going to be king of Pride Rock," Logan answered. Slade rolled his eye.

"Oh wonderful," he replied in a bored and factious tone. Logan didn't even notice.

"Yeah, I know right! Dad just showed me the whole kingdom and he said it's gonna be all mine. I mean how awesome is that?"

"Quite," the orange lion replied seemingly bored with the conversation. "But forgive me for not leaping for the good news. You know, bad back and all." Logan scampered over to his uncle and then leaned against him with his paws.

"So dude, what will that make you when I'm king?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Slade didn't skip a beat to reply. "A monkey's uncle. And don't call me 'dude'." His tone still sounded bored. Logan laughed a full hearty laugh.

"You're so weird."

"You have absolutely no idea. So anyway, your dad showed you the _entire_ kingdom then? Even the part past the northern border?" he asked referring to the part of the land covered in shadows. Logan's elf-like ears drooped slightly.

"Well, I mean, no. He said I can't go there."

"And he's right you know? It's far too dangerous for a cub like you. Only extremely brave lions go there."

"I'm brave!" Logan instantly replied. "Come on Slade just tell me what's out there!"

"No, no, no. I couldn't tell you. Besides what would a young prince want to do with an elephant graveyard…Oops!" he feigned a surprised expression as he slightly covered his mouth. Logan's eyes lit up. "Oh I've said too much! You must promise you won't go there. And do not tell anyone I told you." Slade warned the young cub. Logan smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry Slade, it'll be our secret." And with that Logan pounced off leaving Slade with a sly smile on his face. Logan quickly raced to the rock path that led from Pride Rock to the Savannah, in search of his friend Raven. He found her, along with his mother and Raven's mom Arella, who happened to be giving Raven's light gray fur a bath.

"Hey Rae," the green cub greeted his friend. Raven looked away from her mother and her dark violet eyes landed on Logan. She gave a slight smile.

"Hi Logan," she replied as Arella started to lick the purple patch, with a small red dot in the center, on her head. Logan walked right up to the girls and leaned close to Raven's ear.

"We need to go, I just heard about this really awesome place!" Raven raised a skeptic brow.

"Kind of in the middle of something." Before Logan could say more, Marie snatched him up by the scruff of his neck and started to give him a bath as well.

"Mom! Mom, quit it! Come on dude you're messing up the mane!" Marie and Arella chuckled and Marie smiled down at her son and let him out of her killer grasp. He shook himself and then turned his attention back to Raven.

"So where exactly are we going? Better not be like your last idea," Raven said with some humor in her monotone. Logan smiled sheepishly.

"No this place is really cool!" he assured. Arella smirked.

"And where exactly is this 'really cool' place?" the light peach furred lioness asked. Logan flinched as he started to come up with a lie.

"The…um watering hole!" he answered. Raven gave another skeptic look.

"What's so cool about the watering hole?" Logan leaned in close and said between his teeth.

"I'll show you when we get there." Raven immediately understood. She looked up at Arella.

"Can I go?" Arella looked over at Marie, who nodded, then smiled down at her daughter and did the same. And just as the young lions were getting excited, she told them they had to bring Garth. Logan let out a loud groan, while Raven simply shook her head.

***** Garth flew high in the sky in front of the cubs as Logan started to explain. "Ok so as soon as we ditch the joy-kill we're going to the elephant graveyard." Raven's eyes widened.

"Ok. So what's your plan?" Logan thought.

"I was actually hoping you'd have one." Raven slapped her paw against her forehead but kept walking. "What? You're the smart one!" Raven didn't argue. Just then Garth flew down and landed in front of them, making them stop. He smiled.

"Your parents are going to love this," he said. Logan and Raven looked at each other before looking back at the hornbill.

"What are you talking about now?" Logan asked.

"I'm just saying, with you being betrothed and all." Out of the corner of his eye, Logan could've sworn he saw Raven get paler.

"Be-what?" he asked wondering why she was so shaken' up.

"Betrothed." Nothing. "Intended." Still nothing. Garth rolled his eyes then very slowly as if talking to a slow child clarified, "One day you two will be married." Gar went almost as pale as Raven.

"Dude, no way! She's my best friend!" Raven nodded.

"I agree with him."

"Sorry to bust your bubble kids, but that's the law."

"Well then that's definitely the first thing to go when I become king," Logan muttered to Raven.

"Not so long as I'm around, young prince," the bird replied smugly.

"In that case you're fired." Logan smiled.

"Cant be done. You're not the king."

"Technically speaking, he _is_ the future king," Raven added.

"Yeah," Logan agreed. "So you have to do as I say Bird-boy."

_I'm gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware! _

_"I've never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair." _Garth shot back.

_I'm gonna be the mane event_  
_Like no king was before_  
_I'm brushing up on looking down_  
_I'm working on my roar_

_"Thus far a rather uninspiring thing."_

_Oh, I just can't wait to be king!_

_"No one saying do this!"_

"_Now when I said that-" _Garth tried to say.

_"No one saying be there!" _Raven chimed in.

"_What I meant was-"_the hornbill tried again.

_"No one saying stop that!" _Logan interrupted.

"_What you don't realize-"_

_"No one saying see here!" _Raven continued.

"_Now see here!"_

_Free to run around all day_

"_That's definitely out of the question." _Garth said matter-of-factly.

_Free to do it all my way!_

_"I think it's time that you and I arranged a heart-to-heart," _Garth suggested desperatly. With all this going on, a bunch of animals had gathered to watch, Logan and Raven took this opportunity to hop on one of the ostriches and take them for a ride.  
_  
Kings dont need advice from little hornbills for a start_

_If this is where the monarchy is headed_  
_Count me out_  
_Out of service, out of Africa_  
_I wouldn't hang about_  
_This child is getting wildly out of wing_

_Oh, I just can't wait to be king!_  
_Everybody look left_

The animals stomped left.

_Everybody look right_

The animals stomped right.

_Everywhere you look I'm-_

_Standing in the spotlight_

_"Not yet!"_

_Let every creature go for broke and sing_  
_Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing_  
_It's gonna be King Logan's finest fling_

_Oh, I just can't wait to be king!_

_Oh, he just can't wait to be king!_

_Oh, I just can't wait...to be king!_

Garth looked around desperately for the two young cubs but they had all but vanished in the midst of animals. _"Marcus is going to kill me! Right after Arella and Marie get done with me!" _he thought.

******************** Ok so yeah. I want to take this time to say that I may be writing this but I couldnt do it without the help of my friend Angeltiger777! She brought this idea to me and has even given me ideas and helped me with casting and such. Thanks chick.

Anyway R&R suckas! BG OUT!


	3. Be Prepared For the Elephant Graveyard

Logan and Raven had managed to ditch Garth and were now resting far away from where they had left the bird. "I think we lost him," Raven stated. Logan grinned.

"Dude, I am such a genius!"

"I don't know about that. I'd say you're more of a little green elf."

"What can I say, everybody loves the pointy ears," Logan replied smugly managing to wiggle his ears.

"Yeah sure they do," she replied sarcastically. "It has nothing to do with the fact that you're the future king," she continued playfully.

"Oh yeah?" Logan pounced on her and they did a flip before Raven pinned him. She smirked.

"You were saying?" Logan frowned before pushing her off.

"Alright. Alright." He seemed to have given up but as soon as Raven had her back to him he tried again and the two cubs went rolling down the side of a ditch. Raven once again came out on top. She had been expecting that.

"Pinned you again, elf," she said with that same small smirk. Just then a steam geyser erupted and the small lions got a look at where they were. They looked up the other side of the ditch they had fallen in and saw a giant skull with two pointed tusk shaped bones sticking out of it.

"Dude, this is it! The elephant graveyard!" Logan said, his tone beyond excited. They looked around and saw that there was bones scattered throughout the entire area.

"Wow, this place is kind of creepy." Raven said.

"I know right! It's so cool!"

"We could get in a lot of trouble," she continued, though the slight smile on her face told Logan she didn't really care.

"Yep. Hey I wonder if its brains are still in there!" Raven rolled her eyes.

"I doubt it." Logan looked at her and then back at the skull, his toothy grin plastered across his face.

"Well, let's go check it out." He started to walk toward it when something stopped him.

"Not so fast! The only checking out you will do will be out of this place!" Garth said urgently. Logan groaned as Raven sighed. "We are way beyond the borders of the Pride Lands! If your father found out we would all be in trouble!" Logan scoffed.

"Aww is Black Beak scared?"

"That's _Mr._ Black Beak to you! And right now we are in serious danger!" Logan simply walked past the bird.

"Danger? Dude, my middle name is danger!" he laughed, but he wasn't the only one. All three stiffened and Logan ran back to his group as three hyenas made their way out of the skull. Raven sent him a glare.

"Nice going, Mr. Danger," she hissed.

"Well, well, well. Look-y here Gizmo, Mammoth. Who do you think these guys are?" the grey hyena with dark purple spots and light pink hair on the top of her head asked. The light tan one with green spots, that was shorter than her, was the one that answered.

"Looks to me, Jinx, like we got a couple of pit-sniffing trespassers!" The big black one with yellow spots, that had long brown hair that ran down his back and a small goatee, spoke next.

"I was thinking the same thing Gizmo." He said in a deep gruff voice.

"Well I can assure you that it was by a complete and total accident!" Garth stated, shaking slightly. "Now if you'll excuse us we'll just be on our way." Jinx stopped the bird from leaving by stepping on his tail.

"Wait a minute, you look familiar. Doesn't he look familiar guys?" Gizmo and Mammoth looked at the bird.

"Isn't he the king's gunk-munching stooge?" Jinx's eyes lit up in recognition.

"That's it!" Garth looked appalled.

"I, Madame, am the King's advisor," he defended. The three hyenas ignored him and started circling the two cubs. Logan and Raven just stared at them defiantly.

"So that makes you…" Mammoth started.

"The future king!" Logan stated with conviction.

"Do you even know what we do to flea biting kings who leave their kingdom?" Gizmo asked.

"You can't do anything to me!" Logan replied.

"Um technically they can. You see, we are on their land," Garth corrected.

"But didn't you tell me their nothing but idiotic, mangy, stupid poachers?" Garth paled.

"Exnae on the upidsta."

"Hey, who you calling upidsta?" Mammoth growled.

"Oh my, would you look at the sun, we better be off!" The three tried to run but Mammoth blocked their path.

"What's the hurry guys?"

"Yeah we'd love for you to stay for dinner," Jinx continued.

"We could have whatever's _lion_ around!" Gizmo joked. That sent all three into a fit of laughter.

"Wait, wait, wait! I got one! Make mine a _cub_ sandwich! What'cha think?" Jinx replied. The two smallest hyenas started laughing, when Mammoth asked,

"Um, guys, did we order this dinner to go?" Jinx looked at him.

"No why?"

"Cause there it goes!" he answered, pointing to the two cubs and bird that were running away from them. Logan, Raven, and Garth ran from the hyenas and once they thought they were far enough away the cubs stopped.

"I think we lost them," Logan panted. Raven nodded in agreement but then after she looked around asked,

"Where's Garth?"

The hyenas were gathered around a small boiling geyser and Jinx was trying to get the hornbill into it. "Come on, just hop into the birdie boiler!" All three chuckled as Garth resisted but in the end, ended up in it. The pressure started to build and Garth was shot into the sky leaving a trail of smoke behind him. All three hyenas continued to laugh hysterically.

"Hey!" They looked up to see the cubs. "Pick on someone your own size!" All three smirked.

"You mean like you?" Jinx asked. Immediately Logan and Raven paled.

"Oops." With a snarl Jinx jumped at the two cubs and snapped her teeth at them as the cubs sprinted away from her. The cubs ran until a geyser erupted in front of them forcing them to stop, but to their horror the three hyenas popped their heads through the red steam.

"Boo!" The trio yelled with a laugh. Logan and Raven swiftly turned around as the hyenas gave chase. The cubs started to climb the smooth and cracked surface of the elephant skull, Gizmo barely missing them. The lion cubs jumped off the skull and slide down the spine, Raven holding onto Logan as they did. Logan saw the end of the spine pointing up meaning they were going to be airborne, which caused him to start yelling.

"Uh- uh- uh- uh- uh- uh!" his voice vibrated on the spine. Logan and Raven shot through the air screaming as they landed on the hill of bones adjacent to the spine and started to climb up, the hyenas still in pursuit. Logan made it to the top then he heard Raven shout.

"Logan!" He turned around and gasped as he saw Raven slipping down the pile of bones and with Jinx getting closer to her. As Logan started to make his way down toward Raven, the hyena opened her mouth to bite the cub but then Raven quickly turned around and scratched the hyena on her cheek, causing Jinx to snarl as blood started to run down the side of her face. The cubs made it to the top of the hill, and they ran until they reached a wall. The two cubs climbed on top of a giant rib cage hoping to reach the top of the wall, but the old rib bones gave in and they fell to the ground. The cubs turned around and saw the three hyenas slowly and threateningly walking toward them.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty." Mammoth said sinisterly. Logan stood in front of Raven and took a deep breath, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

"Rraar! Rraar! Rraar!" the green cub tried to roar. The hyneas just laughed at the cub's pathetic and poor attempt.

"That was it? That's the best the little green snot can do?" laughed Gizmo, as Jinx chuckled

"Do it again, a little louder this time." Logan open his mouth then ROOAARR! Raven looked at him clearly shocked as the hyenas' expressions were dumbfounded.

"Huh?" they asked in unison. Then a huge green paw whacked all three of them in the head. Marcus attacked the trio without mercy roaring as he did. The hyenas tried to fight back but the mighty king was far stronger then them as he knocked them down. Garth appeared and landed next to the two cubs as they watched Marcus pin all three hyenas beneath him. The three jokesters visibly cringed.

Jinx held her paws together, "Oh please!"

"Uncle! Uncle!" begged Gizmo.

"SILENCE!" Marcus half roared, which frightened them even more.

"Shutting up now," said Mammoth

"We're really sorry." said Jinx. Marcus glared at them with rage in his eyes.

"If you ever come near my son again..."

Jinx acted surprised "Oh this is... this is your son?" Gizmo played along.

"This little green runt- I mean cub is your son?" Jinx looked at him.

"Did you know that?" Gizmo shook his head

"No, of course not," the big mouth replied.

"Mammoth?" they both asked

"Yes!- I mean no..." the giant stuttered, but all Marcus heard was 'yes'. He lifted his head and roared so loud. The trio saw this as their chance to escape and ran away with their tails between their legs. Garth went to the king.

"That will show 'em" he said and smiled at the Marcus, but when the green lion turned his head and glared at the hornbill, Garth cover his face with fear. Logan and Raven approached Marcus and Logan looked up at his father.

"Dad, I..."

"You deliberately disobeyed me." Marcus cut him off, staring at his son. Logan's pointed ears drooped.

"Dad, I'm... I'm sorry."

"Let's go home," the king said sternly. They started to leave and the cubs were hunched in shame as they followed the bigger lion. Raven, a small, comforting, and meek smile on her face, whispered to Logan,

"Just so you know, I thought you were very brave." Logan smiled slightly.

"Thanks Rae."When they were out of sight Slade emerged out of the shadows with a very displeased look on his face. The lions and hornbill were almost back to Pride Rock when Marcus called for Garth. The bird flew over to the king.

"Yes, sire?" Garth asked meekly.

"Take Raven back to her mother. I need to have a word with Logan." The cub tried to shrink into the grass and Raven gave him something close to a pitying look. Garth nodded and flew over to the two cubs, first addressing Raven.

"Follow me Raven." She nodded. He then turned to Logan. "Good luck." And with that they started to walk away, Raven looking back as they did. Logan sighed and timidly walked over to his father.

"Listen Dad, I'm really sorry…"

"I am very disappointed in you Logan. You could have been killed!"

"I know…"

"What were you thinking? And bringing Raven into it with you? You both could've been…" he stopped and sighed. Logan sniffed.

"I was just trying to be as brave as you are," Logan said sadly. Marcus shook his head and sighed deeply.

"Logan, I'm only brave when it matters. I don't go looking for trouble. That's not what brave is. If anything I try to avoid it."

"But you're never scared." Marcus smiled at that.

"I was today," he said, and seeing his son's confusion he added, "I was afraid I was going to lose you."

"I guess this means even kings get scared huh?" Marcus nodded. "But I'd bet, by the looks on their faces, that those hyenas were even more scared." Logan and Marcus chuckled.

"That's because no one messes with your old man!" He grabbed Logan and rubbed his paw onto Logan's head before running with the cub right on his tail.

***** Back at the gorge, not far from the elephant graveyard, the three hyenas were recuperating. "Man, I don't think I'll be able to sit for a week!" complained Gizmo. "I hate that scruff-brained King Marcus!" Mammoth laughed at the big scratches Gizmo had on his erm…backside. "What are you laughing at Barf-brain?" Mammoth kept laughing. Jinx watched as they started to fight and rolled her eyes. She had actually got the least amount of damage besides that nasty cut from Raven.

"Would you guys knock it off," she yelled. Gizmo looked up at her.

"He started it!" he defended. Mammoth shook his head and pointed at Gizmo.

"No you did!" Jinx rubbed her head.

"Its no wonder we're dangling at the bottom of the food chain!"

"I hate dangling!" Mammoth agreed as a bunch of slobber hung from his mouth. Jinx looked disgusted.

"You know, if it weren't for those scuz-munching lions, we'd be running this place," Gizmo chimed in. "I hate lions!"

"Their pushy," stated Jinx.

"And hairy!" agreed Mammoth.

"Nothing but stinky cats," Gizmo added.

"And man are they ug-ly!" all three said. They started to laugh when a voice interrupted them.

"Surely you don't think all lions are that way." They looked up to see Slade laying on one of the higher ledges. They all sighed in relief.

"Oh Slade, its just you. We thought it was actually somebody important." Mammoth said. "Like Marcus or something." Slade raised an eyebrow.

"I see," he replied, disdain evident in his voice.

"Now that's power," stated Gizmo. Mammoth nodded.

"Tell me about it. That name alone sends shivers down my spine."

"Marcus," said Gizmo, testing it. Mammoth shivered.

"Do it again."

"Marcus." Again Mammoth shivered. "Marcus, Marcus, Marcus," he repeated. Both of them started laughing as Jinx shook her head.

"I'm surrounded by idiots," she said. Slade nodded.

"I was just thinking the same thing, child."

"I mean Slade you're a pal. You know one of us!" Mammoth said. Slade rolled his eye.

"Splendid," he replied in a bored voice.

"So, did you bring us anything to eat? Slade, old buddy. Pal?" Mammoth asked. Gizmo and Jinx instantly pushed ahead of Mammoth as Slade pulled a hunk of zebra meat from beside him.

"Personally, I think you don't deserve this," he said. "I practically hand wrapped those cubs for you and you let them live." As the hyenas started to tear into the meat Jinx looked up at Slade.

"Well, it wasn't like they were alone. I mean, what were we supposed to do? Kill the king?" Slade smiled viciously down at them.

"Precisely." The three hyenas gave him a confused look as he jumped down and started walking toward them.

_I know that your powers of retention  
Are as wet as a warthog's backside  
But thick as you are, pay attention  
My words are a matter of pride_

He walked up to Mammoth and waved his paw in front of his face. Mammoth didn't seem to notice. Slade shook his head and kicked the larger hyena out of his way and Mammoth skidded across the cavern floor.

_It's clear from your vacant expressions  
The lights are not all on upstairs  
But we're talking kings and successions  
Even you can't be caught unawares_

_So prepare for a chance of a lifetime  
Be prepared for sensational news  
A shining new era  
Is tiptoeing nearer_

__

"_And where do we feature?" _Jinx asked, wondering where the heck they fit into this mad plan.

___Just listen to teacher  
I know it sounds sordid  
But you'll be rewarded  
When at last I am given my dues!  
And injustice deliciously squared  
Be prepared! _

"_Yeah! Be prepared. We'll be prepared!" _Mammoth said excited then his expression went to bewilderment. "_ For what?" _

"_For the death of the king!" _

"_Is he sick?" _asked Gizmo.

"_No, fool! We're going to kill him. And Logan, too." _

"_Great idea!" _shouted Jinx._ "Who needs a king?" _

"_No king, no king! La la la la la!" _Mammoth and Jinx chanted.

"_Idiots! There will be a king!" _

"_But you said.."_ Mammoth started_. _

"_I will be king! Stick with me and you'll never go hungry again!" _

"_Yay, all right! Long live the king! Long live the king!"_all three hyenas had heard all the noise and all of the conversation and were pouring in to help with what Slade had in mind.

"_It's great that we'll soon be connected with a king who'll be all-time adored!"_some were saying with such excitement.

_Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected  
To take certain duties on board  
The future is littered with prizes  
And though I'm the main addressee  
The point that I must emphasize is  
You won't get a sniff without me! _

_So prepare for the coup of the century  
Be prepared for the murkiest scam  
Meticulous planning  
Tenacity spanning  
Decades of denial  
Is simply why I'll  
Be king undisputed  
Respected, saluted  
And seen for the wonder I am  
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared  
Be prepared! _

_Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared -  
Be prepared!_

And so Slade now had the hyenas on his side and his plan was just getting started. _"Soon," _he thought as the hyenas cheered from below. _"The Pride Lands, and all its inhabitants will be under my control. And nothing is going to stand in my way!" _

********************* Ok, so yeah another chapt is up and I would like to say that half the writing credit to this story goes to Angeltiger777! I'm not kidding Angeltiger777 literallly wrote half of this chapt so a round of applause peeps! Thanks for help buddy! You all know, if you've read my other stories, that my action and fast-paced scenes arent the best so I seriously appreciated the help.

Well anyway R&R and all that jazz! BG OUT!


	4. One Little Slip Leads to Hakuna Matata

The next day, Slade and Logan walked till they reached a rock under a tree in the middle of the gorge. Slade looked at the Logan and gave him a slight smile. "Now you wait here. Your father has a wonderful surprise for you." The green cub's ears shot up and he hopped on the rock.

"Dude! What is it?" Slade gave him a look.

"Don't call me 'dude', and if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore." Logan gave his uncle a toothy grin.

"If you tell me, I'll still act surprised." Slade fake chuckled.

"Oh, you are such a naughty boy." Logan gave him the sad eyes.

"Come on, Uncle Slade, please."

"No, no This is just for you and your daddy. You know, a sort of... father-son... thing." Logan pouted. "Well! I'd better go get him." Slade stated, as he started to leave Logan tried to follow.

"I'll go with you." Slade quickly turned around.

"No!" he snapped at the cub making him stop in his tracks. Slade regained his composure and fake chuckled again. "No. Just stay on this rock. You wouldn't want to end up in another mess like you did with the hyenas..." Logan was stunned.

"You know about that?"

"Oh, Logan everybody in the Pride Lands knows about that." Logan's ears droop

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Lucky Daddy was there to save you..." Slade leaned in closely to the cub's ear and whispered, "And just between us, you might want to work on that little roar of yours. Hmm?" Logan just nodded feeling embarrassed, as Slade started to leave Logan perked up a little

"Hey, Uncle Slade, will I like the surprise?" Slade stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"Logan, it's to _die_ for." and with that he left. On top of the gorge was a huge herd of wildebeest grazing on the grass and hidden under a rock arch, watching the plant eaters, was the hyena trio, Jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth. Low growls came from Mammoth and Gizmo's stomachs causing Jinx to glare at them.

"Be quiet. You're going to give us away!" The big hyena held his stomach.

"I can't help it. I'm so hungry..." Gizmo jumped up.

"I gotta have a wildebeest!" Mammoth nodded. Jinx shook her head.

"Stay here." she ordered.

"Can't we just pick off one of the little sick ones?" Mammoth asked. Jinx snapped.

"No! We wait for the signal from Slade." Just then Slade appeared on a rock higher up. "Alright, lets do this," Jinx said. In the gorge, Logan was lying down on the rock thinking of what his uncle said.

"Little roar. Puhh." At that moment a horn lizard walk past him, Logan growled at it but the lizard just kept on moving. Logan hopped off the rock and followed it then he tried again, a bit louder this time. "Rrrraowr-nh!" But the lizard still ignored the cub. Logan got closer, took a very deep breath and, "RAOWR!" This scared the lizard enough that it ran as Logan's roar echoed off the walls of the gorge. The cub grinned proudly at the sound, but then there was a low rumble. Logan looked down and saw pebbles jumping by his paws, he heard birds cawing and saw a them flying above the gorge, then he saw a herd of wildebeests coming over the top of the gorge's wall, Logan's ears completely dropped and he gasped in terror as the wildebeest headed straight towards him. The green cub started to run.

Meanwhile Marcus and Garth were patrolling nearby, Garth was on Marcus's back when he turned his head and saw dust rising out of the gorge. "Guess the wildebeest are on the move again." Marcus looked over.

"That's odd," said the confused king.

"Marcus!" Slade ran up and out of breath he announced, "Hurry.. Stampede. In the gorge... Logan's down there!"

"Logan?" True fear gripped the king as he rushed toward the gorge with Slade by his side.

"I'll fly ahead," said Garth. Logan climbed on a small tree, barely holding on, as wildebeest kept coming. Then Logan saw Garth.

"Garth! Help me!"

"Your father's coming! Just hold on!" He flew away.

"Hurry!" Logan screamed. Marcus and Slade slid down to a ledge, Marcus frantically looked for Logan through the thundering stampede. Garth swooped down.

"He's there! On that tree!" he pointed. Marcus saw him.

"Hold on, Logan!" he shouted. A wildebeest rammed the tree nearly breaking it causing Logan to yell as he almost fell. Marcus jumped off the ledge and ran out into the herd, joining the stampede. Garth flew in front of Slade panicking.

"Slade, what can we do?" Then an idea popped into his head. " I'll go back for help!" Slade saw that Garth wasn't looking and he quickly backhanded the hornbill into a rock wall, knocking him out. Slade then followed Marcus's progress in the shadows. Marcus ran with the herd till he slightly passed the tree. He whipped around the front of some wildebeest and ran into the herd toward Logan. Just then a wildebeest rammed him head on sending him to the ground. Marcus quickly got up and saw one wildebeest slam into the tree, breaking it and launching Logan into the air. The green cub yelled and Marcus, acting fast, jumped and caught Logan with his mouth and carried him to a nearby ledge, Marcus put Logan down

"RRAAR!" The king was immediately struck by a wildebeest and carried off into the stampede.

"DAD!" Logan screamed, he watched in horror as his father disappeared in the herd of wildebeests. Logan kept searching for him, the situation looking more bleak with each passing second. With a roar Marcus leaped out of the stampede to a rocky slope near Logan, the cub watched his father climb, with great difficulty, up the slope then he was out of Logan sight. The green cub turned around and started climbing to the top of the rocky bluff. Marcus was almost on the top, when he saw Slade standing there watching him from above.

"Slade!" Marcus started to lose his grip "Brother! Help me!" Slade just stood there looking coldly at him then suddenly he latches he's claws deep into Marcus paws causing the king to roar in pain. Slade moved in closely with a evil smile on his face as Marcus looked into his brother's soulless blue eye, then Slade said in a low, dark voice that made Marcus pale in horror.

"Long live the king." Slade tossed Marcus off the ledge and the king fell to the raging stampede and the thundering hooves below.

"Nooooooo!" Logan saw his father falling and yelled in horror. When the wildebeest had finally passed through, Logan rushed into the dust filled gorge to find his father. "Dad?" he called, only to hear echoes. He tried again and was greeted by the sound of something coming. "Dad?" he asked. Instead of his father, a baby wildebeest ran by, and Logan's ears drooped in disappointment. The dust started to settle more and Logan could just make out the shape of a lion underneath a bent and trampled tree. Logan walked slowly and anxiously over to the shape and when he was close enough could see that it was, in fact, Marcus. "Dad?" Logan asked. Marcus didn't respond.

"Dad?" he tried again, this time nudging his head. "Come on, you gotta get up." Marcus didn't even move as his head fell back to the ground. "We gotta go home, please wake up." The small cub tried tugging on his ear but had no effect. "Help! Anybody!" Logan called out, seeing if somebody was near enough to help. But all he heard was more echoes. A few tears started to fall from the young cub's eyes as he laid down and curled up next to his dad, sniffling.

"Logan," The cub turned his head to see Slade standing over him. "What have you done?" he asked, no emotion on his face. Logan began to stutter.

"The wildebeest…he tried to save me…I didn't mean for this to happen…"

"Of course not, dear boy," he replied, fake sympathy oozing from his words. "No one ever does. But the king _is_ dead…and if it weren't for you, he'd still be alive," he continued, as Logan hugged his arm. And as if trying to rub more salt into the cub's fresh and deep new wound he asked with a gasp, "What will your mother think?"

"What should I do, Uncle Slade?"

"Run. Run away and never come back." Logan slightly hesitated before running off. Slade sat and watched him as the hyena trio walked up behind him. A small sadistic smile spread across the orange lion's face. "Kill him." And with that simple command, the hyenas began their chase of the small lion. Logan ran as fast as he could as he heard the hungry predators coming after him. The cub skidded to a stop as he came to a dead end. He turned and saw the trio closing in on him, vicious smiles on their faces. Logan started to head toward the wall and slipped through a crack in between the rubble, just barely dodging Mammoth's claws.

He continued to run and came to a steep ledge, but with the hyenas catching up he jumped down and practically rolled down the hill and into a briar of thorns. He was just small enough to enter unharmed. Jinx and Gizmo saw the thorns and skidded to a stop at the very edge of the ledge. They both sighed with relief until Mammoth crashed into them and sent them both flying into the thorns. They both came out screaming as they climbed back onto the ledge where they were greeted by a laughing Mammoth. Jinx limped over and slapped him upside the head before he spotted the cub running out of the thorns and out into the desert.

"Hey there he goes!"

"So go get him, Mammoth!

"No way I'm risking looking like you two!" Jinx rolled her eyes.

"Doesn't matter anyway. He'll be dead in a couple of days. And if he _does_ come back, we'll just kill him." She started to pick the thorns out from her paws and legs. Gizmo, who was in the middle of the same task, yelled out toward the cub,

"You hear that you scruff-munching gunk eater? If you ever come back we'll kill you!" All three started to laugh.

***** Word had spread of Marcus's demise as all the lionesses and Garth gathered around Pride Rock. "It is a terrible tragedy, losing our beloved king. But to lose Logan, as young as he was, is a deep and horrible loss." Marie looked down to at the ground, tears spilling from her eyes, as Garth tried to comfort her. Arella looked over at her daughter who was staring off across the African savannah, away from all the other lions, as a few small tears fell from her eyes. Raven had taken this harder than anybody. She had lost her only friend.

"So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne and from the ashes I will bring forth the dawning of a new and glorious reign." At this the others gasped. Hyenas were flowing in from everywhere as Slade went on to say that hyenas and lions would be working together from then on out.

**** Back at her tree, Kori shook her head sadly. Rich sighed. He hated seeing Kori this disappointed. He started to say something, but didn't know what to say. "Oh Rich…I had had such high hopes for him," the red baboon sighed and walked over to the painting of Logan and rubbed her hand across it, smearing the drawing. "Now it seems my hopes have amounted to nothing."

"They weren't for nothing Kori…" the black monkey stated. The red monkey looked over at her friend and gave him a weak smile.

"I wish I could believe you, Friend Rich," was her reply.

**** Out in the middle of the desert, buzzards started to circle the now passed out Logan. They landed and gathered around the cub, about to pick at him, when a dark brown warthog and a yellow maerkat with red lightning shaped streak on his back and sides and blazing red hair, came barreling toward them. They started kicking the birds and making karate sounds while they were at it. "Get out! Get out of here!" the small rodent shouted as the birds squawked. The birds flew away as fast as they could and the pig laughed.

"Man, there's nothing like bowling for buzzards in the morning, huh Wally?" The red-head nodded.

"You got that right Vic! It gets them every time!" he laughed. Vic walked over toward the thing the buzzards had gathered around and called over to Wally.

"Hey man, I think its still alive." Wally raised a curious brow and walked over to the green body.

"What do you think a lion is doing way out here in the middle of nowhere?" Vic shook his head.

"I don't know, but we better find this little guy some shade and water," the brown pig instructed. Wally helped put Logan on the warthog's snout and they carried him off to the one place they knew would help: the oasis. Once there they splashed a little water on him, which seemed to wake the green cub up. He groaned.

"Dude, just five more minutes!" Vic chuckled.

"Man you might want to wake up and drink something. You look pretty dehydrated." Wally nodded in agreement. Logan slowly opened his eyes as they adjusted to the sunlight. He quickly looked around and sighed as he remembered the events that had lead him here.

"You ok man?" Vic asked. Logan just nodded and started to walk back out into the desert but Wally and Vic stopped him. "Hey kid where you going?"

"Nowhere."

"Gosh, he looks kinda blue," Vic said.

"Really? I was thinking more of a light green," Wally joked. Vic rolled his eyes and ran to catch up to the cub.

"Hey, what's eating ya?" Wally walked up to them.

"Nothing! He's at the top of the food chain!" He laughed, and Vic rolled his eyes as Logan managed a small smile. He had thought the joke was funny. "So, where you from dude?" asked Wally once he had stopped laughing.

"It doesn't really matter anymore," the cub replied. "I can't go back after…" he trailed off.

"So you're an outcast, that's cool! Guess what! So are we!" Wally stated with pride.

"So what'cha do man?" Vic asked. Logan just looked at the ground. "I see. So is there anything we can do to help?"

"Not unless you can change the past or something." Wally spoke next.

"You know its times like this that me and Vic here say that you need to put your behind in the past!" Vic stared at him for a second. "I mean your past behind you…right?" he asked looking over at the warthog. Vic nodded slowly.

"I think you better quit thinking before you hurt yourself there Wally." The meerkat glared at his companion. "Anyway, sometimes bad things happen and you can't do anything about it…that's where hakuna matata comes in." Logan looked at the pig confused.

"What?"

"Hakuna matata, it means no worries," Wally clarified.

_"Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase."_

"_Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze," _Vic agreed.

__

_It means no worries for the rest of your days!  
It's our problem-free philosophy  
Hakuna Matata!_

Logan looked around at the oasis they were now in and then asked,

_"Hakuna matata?"_

"_Yeah. It's our motto!" _Wally stated.

__

_"Um, what's a motto?"_

"_Nothing. What's a-motto with you?" _Wally cracked up at his joke and Logan let out a chuckle. Vic shook his head at both of them.

__

"_Those two words will solve all your problems," _Vic promised.

__

"_That's right. Take Vic here," _Wally said with a grin.

_"Why, when he was a young warthog..."_

"_When I was a young wart hog!" _Vic sang holding the note longer than necessary. Wally rubbed his finger into his ear checking for damage before replying,

__

_"Very nice."_

_"Thanks."_

_He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal  
He could clear the savannah after every meal_

_I'm a sensitive soul though I seem thick-skinned  
And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind  
And oh, the shame_

"_He was ashamed!" _Wally concurred.

_Thought of changing' my name!_

"_What's in a name?" _asked Wally.

_And I got down-hearted! _

"_How did ya feel every time that you...?" _Vic cut Wally off before he could finish the question.

"_Hey! Wally! Not in front of the kids!" _

"_Oh. Sorry," _Wally apologized as Logan just stared at them confused.

__

_Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase  
Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze  
_

Logan shrugged and figured that he might as well join in on the fun."_It means no worries for the rest of your days!"  
_

"That's right, man!" Vic and Wally both started cheering.

_It's our problem-free philosophy  
Hakuna Matata!  
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!  
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!  
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!  
Hakuna Matata! Hakuna-  
It means no worries for the rest of your days  
It's our problem-free philosophy  
Hakuna Matata!  
_

__ ____ ______________ __________

__________________________________________


	5. The Madness of Slade

Two years went by and the once beautiful Pride Lands became a barren wasteland, where the trees were dead, the ground was dry and cracked, and there were bones everywhere. Basically it all looked like the elephant graveyard. In the lion's den Slade was laying down listening to Garth, who was locked up inside a ribcage in between two rocks, as he sang.

_"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrow..." _he sang in a bored tone.

"Garth, lighten up a little." Slade tossed a bone at Garth's cage. "Sing something that's less... depressing" Garth sighed then started to sing sarcastically,

_"It's a small world after all..."_

"No! No. Never sing that song!" snapped Slade. Garth started thinking,

_'I can't believe that I went from advisor to songbird!' _he thought, then a little more upbeat sang,

_I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts  
There they are a-standing in a row..._  
_Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head... _

Slade started to hum along to the tune. The lion was so into song that Garth took this time to mumble under his breath " I wish Marcus was here." There was a roar of rage and the next thing the hornbill knew Slade was right by his cage.

"What? What did you say?" Slade said in a low angry voice.

"Nothing Sire!" Garth gave him a nervous smile. Slade growled.

"I told you never to mention that name. I. Am. The. King." Garth gulped.

"Note taken. I shall never mention 'M-m-m' again."

"Hey Boss" Slade turned around and saw Mammoth, Jinx and Gizmo coming into the den, Slade sighed.

"What is it this time?"

"We got a bone to pick with you."Mammoth said gruffly. Jinx stopped him and whispered,

"Better let me do this." She looked at the dark king. "Slade there's no food, or water-"

Gizmo piped up, "Yeah. It's dinnertime, and there isn't no stinkin' entres!" Slade, with a stone face, answered,

"It's the lionesses' job to do the hunting." Mammoth looked upset.

"Yeah, but they won't go hunt." Gizmo walked towards Garth, drooling.

"Can we eat him?" Garth backed away from the short hungry hyena.

"You don't want to eat me, I'm very salty. Not so good for the heart." Gizmo grinned evilly.

"That could be fixed with a good ol' barbecue." He licked his chops. Slade watched with great amusement as the hornbill trembled in fear. Mammoth then whispered to Jinx,

"I thought things were bad with Marcus around." Slade heard this and growled.

"What was that Mammoth?" The big hyena was about to repeat himself till Jinx hit him the ribs.

"I said what's up?" Mammoth quickly lied. Slade grabbed Gizmo by the scuff.

"Get out," growled the orange lion as he tossed the hyena to the others, as the trio started to leave Mammoth said,

"But we're still hungry."

"OUT!" roared Slade, and with that the hyenas ran. "Even in death, his shadow still looms over me." Slade started pacing. "Garth, what did my brother have that I don't?" The hornbill rolled his eyes and answered sarcastically,

"Do you want the short list or the long?" Slade glared at him, Garth cleared his throat. "Well, he had adoring subjects..." Slade motioned for him to continue. "A loving family..." The orange lion scoffed on that one. "A devoted queen..." Slade brightened with an idea.

"Maybe I should have a queen too." The more he thought about it, the more he wanted it.

"A what?" Garth asked rubbing a feather into his ear to check and see if he had heard right.

"A queen. Garth, without a queen, then what am I?" Garth gave an 'I-don't-know' shrug.

"I'd be a dead end, I have no descendants to claim my legacy, nobody to follow my paw prints. Don't you see Garth, with a queen, I'll have... cubs." Slade smirked.

"Children of my own image, heirs to my legacy. I will live on through them." Slade went back to his rock and lied down. "My queen must be strong, smart, and beautiful," he continued to ponder as Garth started to feel extremely sorry for the unlucky lioness who he chose.

"Slade," came a monotone female voice. Slade got up and saw Raven standing at the entrance. "We need to talk."

"Ah, Raven..." Slade started with a sly and devious smirk. "Your timing couldn't have been more perfect." Slade stopped to look at her from top to bottom. "My how you've grown," he whispered thoughtfully.

"Slade, you have got to do something. We're being forced to overhunt." She looked determined. But Slade wasn't listening to what she had to say.

_'She is a strong hunter,'_ he thought.

Raven continued "You're the king. Control the hyenas-"

_'Smart and clever.'_

"You're destroying the Pride Lands-"

_'And she is beautiful.'_

"If we don't stop now... Don't you see...?"

_'She has to be my queen.'_

"...there's still a chance for things to be all right again." Slade walked up to Raven and nuzzled her, causing the light gray lioness to tense.

"What are you doing?... Are you even listening to me?" she hissed as Slade whispered seductively into her ear.

"Come, sweet Raven. It's written in the stars." Raven backed away.

"What are you talking about?" Slade stared at her.

"You make a perfect queen Raven, our cubs will be strong and clever." The dark king moved toward Raven and the lioness instantly wanted to puke at his statement.

"Get away from me!" She warned him, her voice was low and threatening, but Slade didn't listen. Raven clawed his right cheek knocking him back.

"Raven, one way or another, you will be mine," Slade said coldly, regaining his composure.

"Not on your life, Slade!" Raven ran out of the den.

*** A moment later, Raven found her mother, Marie, and the other lionesses, and she told them what happened. "I can't stay here, I have to go and try to find help!" Raven said as Arella rubbed her daughter's back.

"Then I'm coming with you." Raven shook her head.

"No, mother I think it'd be better if I went alone." Arella stared at her daughter for a second holding back a few small tears that sprang to her eyes. Raven noticed this.

"Mother, please don't cry," she said trying to comfort her mother. Marie stepped up.

"We'll escort you," the old queen said. "The hyenas will think we're going hunting. Then we'll go to Kori's tree, you can start your journey from there, Raven." The light gray lioness looked at her.

"Thank you, Marie." The lionesses traveled at night, as they made it to the giant tree and Kori came out to greet them.

"Hello friends." Rich appeared next to her and yawned.

"Isn't it a little late for a visit?" Raven looked at her only friends. After Logan died Raven had gone into a somewhat depressed state but luckily Kori and Rich had been there to help her through it and became her best friends.

"I'm here to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Kori and Rich said in unison.

"Slade wants me to be... his queen," Raven said with a disgusted look. Rich punched the tree and started to curse Slade's name, as Kori hugged Raven. "I'm going to find help to save what's left of the Pride Lands, and stop Slade," she said determined.

"Friend Raven, before you go I would like to bless you for a safe journey," the red monkey offered. Raven was about to say no but seeing the sad look on her friend's face decided against it.

"Alright." Kori looked at Rich.

"Please go and get my pouch for me Rich," the black monkey went back up the tree. Raven looked out towards the lands that she had once called home.

_Shadowland  
The leaves have fallen  
This shadowed land  
This was our home  
The river's dry  
The ground has broken  
So I must go  
Now I must go_

Raven looked back at her mother, and nuzzled her, then Marie and the other lionesses.

_And where the journey may lead me  
Let your prayers be my guide  
I cannot stay here, my family  
But I'll remember my pride_

The lionesses look at Raven with tears in their eyes.

_And where the journey may lead you  
Let this prayer be your guide  
Though it may take you so far away  
Always remember your pride_

Rich came back and gave Kori her pouch, the baboon went to Raven and started chanting words in a different language and threw some type of powder around her from the pouch. Once Kori was done Raven turned to the unknown horizon and started to leave.

_And where the journey may lead you  
Let this prayer be your guide_

"_I will return, I will return," _Raven assured.

_Though it may take you so far away_

'_I will return'_

_Always remember your pride_

Raven looked back at her family and friends one last time then ran off into the night.

********* "Whoa, nice one man! I think we actually got some stick off that!" Wally laughed after Logan's biggest burp yet. All three were under the canopy of trees in the oasis.

"Thanks dude," the now fully grown green lion replied, a huge toothy grin plastered on his face. "I am so stuffed."

"Me too. I ate like a pig," Vic agreed.

"Vic, you are a pig," both Logan and Wally stated.

"And your point is…?" Wally and Logan just chuckled as all three shared a collective sigh. There was a comfortable silence between the three friends and Logan started to think. It had been two years since he had run away from home, from Raven, Arella and his mother. It had been two years since his father's death. From time to time he would wonder if anyone even remembered him, or if they had perhaps forgotten that he caused Marcus's death. Logan shook his head then stood up and started to walk away from Vic and Wally who stared at their buddy confused.

"Hey, where you going?" Wally asked. Logan simply kept walking until he reached a clearing's ledge and just collapsed and watched the stars, making dust and grass rise and start to shift through the air.

***** Kori stood on a branch of her tree and watched the horizon as leaves and grass started to float toward her. She grabbed some out of the air and examined the debris, sniffing with curiosity. She swung down through the branches, debris in hand and put it in a turtle shell and started to shake it while humming.

"What are you doing Kori?" Rich asked watching his friend. Kori didn't answer but picked a fruit from a limb, split it in half, and started to chew thoughtfully. She stared hard at the contents of the turtle shell then with a look of awe said, barely audible,

"Logan?" Rich was alert at the sound of that name. Kori then looked over at the painting she had long ago smudged. "He's alive!" Kori started to laugh with such joy. "Friend Rich, he is alive!"

"But Kori, how is that possible?" Kori just shrugged and hopped over to the painting and smeared a red paint substance around the head making it look like a mane.

"I do not know, but I do know there is a chance to make things right again!" She smiled brightly at Rich. "It is time."


	6. Reunion

Wally and Vic walked through the jungle as Wally sung a tune.

_In the jungle the mighty jungle _

_The lion sleeps tonight_

_In the jungle the mighty jungle _

_The lion sleeps tonight_

Victor was humming the beat when he got distracted by a blue beetle and started to follow it leaving Wally singing by himself. He stalked the bug as if he was a lion and it was his dinner…which in a way that's almost what was going on. The bug flew up onto a tree root that was jutted out of the ground and Vic slowly crept up to it.

"That's right. Just stay right there you big juicy delicious bug," he whispered barely audible. He peeked over the root next the bug but it flew away giving him a clear view of the grassy land in front of him. His eyes went wide as he spotted a gray lioness, getting ready to pounce on the now very aware warthog.

Vic yelled and started to run away from the hungry predator, which chased after him with muscled speed. Vic ran and hollered as he tried to escape his pursuer as he dodged trees and vines, the lioness not far behind. He sharply turned when he reached a huge tree which the lion used to push off of and gain ground. She tried to slash at him but Vic quickly avoided her sharp claws and tried to run faster. He looked behind him to see her catching up to him and when he turned around he slammed underneath a root and became stuck.

Wally, who had heard the commotion, appeared and saw the pig stuck. "What's happening?"

"I'm about to be on the menu!" Vic shouted in the meerkat's face. Wally looked confused and looked past the root to see the lion and frantically started to push on Victor's err…rear to try and get him unstuck.

"Why am I always the one to save your…Ahhhhhhhh!" he screamed as the lioness pounced on them but was intercepted by something green. Logan landed on top of the lioness who, surprised by another lion, started to claw at him. Both lions started to claw and bite each other with ferocity as Wally cheered on Logan vigorously. "Get her, Logan! Claw her eyes out!" Wally leaned down and reassured Vic by patting his head. "Who knew this kid would actually come in handy?" Wally commented with a shrug.

Logan pounced on the gray lioness but she flipped them and ended up on top of him. She snarled in his face and the words 'pinned ya' entered his mind as he stared up into a pair of violet irises.

"R-raven?" The lioness stopped snarling at the green lion and quickly back-peddled away from him, her expression confused. "Raven?" he asked again. She didn't answer but her eyes studied him with a calculating gaze and finally after what seemed like an eternity her eyes lit up in recognition.

"Logan?" The green furred lion smiled, showing his one fang that was more pointed than the rest.

"Well, who'd you expect?" he asked playfully. Raven smiled wider than she had in years at the response she knew only Logan could give. The green lion practically tackled her as they started asking each other questions about what they were doing here and how they were. Wally's jaw dropped at the scene.

"What the heck..?" he started to walk over between the two and raised his voice to get their attention. "What the heck is going on here!" Both lions looked down at the rodent.

"Oh sorry Wally, this is Raven she's like my best friend!" Logan replied with a huge smile. Raven nodded at this in agreement.

"Friend?" Wally raised a skeptic eyebrow but then shrugged. "Ok, I guess that's cool," he said. Logan shook his head at how chill Wally answered that and then called over to Vic who had just got himself unstuck from the root.

"Vic. Raven. Raven. Vic." Victor looked over at the lioness who had tried to eat him and smiled hugely.

"Nice to meet you there, little lady," he said. Raven chuckled slightly.

"Nice to meet you as well. Sorry about, you know, chasing you," she apologized. Vic shook his head.

"No big deal." Wally spoke up.

"Ok, so just that we're all clear, you are _not_ going to eat him?" Raven shook her head which caused Wally to nod. "Ok then." Raven then turned her attention back to Logan.

"Everyone won't believe that you've been here all this time." Logan looked at her shocked. He hadn't even been thinking about that. "They'll be so excited. Especially Marie." Logan's expression turned into a guilty one.

"It would probably be best that they didn't find out Rae," he replied. Raven studied him.

"What do you mean? Everyone thinks you're dead. After Slade told us about the stampede the pride went into shock," she tried to explain.

"Everyone thinks I'm dead? What…what else did Slade tell you?" he asked carefully.

"What else would matter? You're alive which means you're the king." Raven's eyes lit up. Wally and Vic stared open mouthed at their best friend.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! King?" Vic asked shocked. "You mean…you're a king and you didn't tell us?"

"You're Majesty!" Wally started to mock bow. Logan looked uncomfortable at the praise.

"It didn't seem important," Logan answered. "Besides, I'm not the king. I might have been once upon a time but not anymore."

"Logan!" Raven took a paw to his head. "Are feeling alright?" She asked this question with a serious look. The Logan she remembered couldn't wait to be king, so what was different? Logan pushed her hand away gently.

"I'm fine Rae." He gave her a reassuring smile but Raven saw through it. She looked down at Wally and Vic.

"Could you two excuse us for a minute?" she asked and Vic nodded and started to walk away, dragging a resistant Wally behind him. Once they were out of sight Logan shook his head and sighed

"That's Vic and Wally. You learn to love them." Logan stopped when he saw that Raven had moved away from him and her head was hung in an almost distant manner. A concerned Logan went to her side. "What's wrong, Rae?" He asked gently, trying to get her to look at him but Raven turned her head.

"This is so surreal... It's like you're back from the dead..."

"But it's okay Rae." Logan jumped in front of her "See, Rae? I'm fine."

Raven finally looked at him and gave a small smile. "You haven't changed, Logan." The green lion stopped jumping and looked back at her.

"Neither have you. I still can't pin you." They started laughing as they walked side by side.

"I thought that I'd never see your elf ears again," Raven said in a playful tone. Logan wiggled his ears for her and said,

"I've missed you too." Then he bumped into her, almost knocking her down, and ran off laughing. Raven quickly recovered and chased after him.

_Can you feel the love tonight  
The peace the evening brings_  
_The world for once in perfect harmony  
With all its living things_

The two lions stopped at waterfall. Raven went to get a drink. She couldn't remember the last time she had fresh clean water. Logan went across from her and acted like he was drinking but really he was watching her.

_"So many things to tell her  
But how to make her see  
The truth about my past"_

Logan looked down in shame.

_"Impossible.  
She'd turn away from me"_

When Raven was done she looked at Logan and noticed that he seemed troubled by something. Raven gave him a 'what's the matter' stare.

_"He's holding back, he's hiding  
But what, I can't decide"_

The green lion saw her gazing at him and quickly flashed his signature toothy grin.

"_Why won't he be the king I know he is?  
The king I see inside?"_

Logan dashed into the bushes behind her and Raven turned to see what he was doing. Suddenly he came running out with a vine in his mouth and swung over the water and let go of the vine and dived into the pond.

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

Raven went to the ledge over the pool of water to find Logan, never noticing the little bubbles coming towards her. Then two wet green paws shot around her neck and pulled her into the pond. Raven quickly swam back to the ledge and got out of the water as fast as she could.

_The peace the evening brings_

A very soaked Logan came out of the pond and saw an equally as wet Raven breathing heavily. He couldn't help but laugh. Raven saw her chance for payback; she smiled at him and then pushed him back into the pond and took off running. Once Logan got out it was his turn to chase after her.

_The world, for once, in perfect harmony  
With all its living things_

They ran through the grassy plains, after awhile Raven and Logan stopped for a breather then Logan stands on his hind legs with his front paws open he wanted to play fight with her. Raven rolled her eyes. He really hadn't changed much. She smiled and, deciding to humor him, stood up to play.

They started to push one another, neither one of them giving in but then Raven slipped and both of them went tumbling down a hillside behind her. Once they got to the bottom for the first time ever Logan pinned Raven.

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

Logan had his eyes closed and had a huge smile on his face, he couldn't believe he had pinned her. Raven smiled. She opened her eyes to see the proud green lion. Then she put her paws on his face and leaned in to lick Logan's cheek. After that, Logan went from happy to stunned. His eyes went wide and he stared at the gray lioness. Raven stared back with a smile causing Logan's heart to skip a beat. This smile was way different then her normal smiles; this one was far more... seductive.

_You needn't look too far_

Then slowly Logan started to smile back, his emerald eyes shining as bright as starlight

_Stealing through the night's uncertainties_

They gazed at each other, leaning in to nuzzle their heads together.

_Love is where they are_

Wally, who had been spying on the two along with Vic, grabbed onto the warthog's leg and started to cry. Vic tried to shake the meerkat off. "Yo man, get your blubbering butt off me!" Wally let go reluctantly and sniffed.

"Sorry Vic, its…it's just so beautiful!" he replied starting to sob harder. Victor shook his eyes at the rodent's antics.

***********************************_ Ok sorry for the delay on the chapt. Again I had some help from Angeltiger777. Thnx pal. Oh and check out her deviantart page! Shes got some cool drawings!_


	7. Confliction to Realization

"Isn't this place amazing?" Logan asked in an almost wistful tone as he showed Raven the waterfall. Raven smirked.

"It is beautiful," she replied. "But I don't understand. Why didn't you come back? Why did you let us think you were dead?" Her expression showed the confusion she had been feeling for two whole years. Logan paused but smiled and climbed onto some vines like a hammock.

"Well I uh, wanted to see the world. Be my own lion. So I did and it was awesome!" Raven's frown deepened.

"We needed you." Logan scoffed.

"Yeah, right. No one needs me."

"Yes we do, Logan! You're the king!"

"I'm not the king, Rae! And I'm never gonna be. Besides, Slade's the king."

"Logan! Slade let the hyenas take over the Pride Lands and they cleaned out all the food and water!"

"What?" This caught Logan's attention.

"If you don't come back we're going to starve!" Raven was trying to reason with him now.

"Raven, I can't go back."

"But why?"

"It's hard to explain. You wouldn't understand."

"And what exactly wouldn't I understand Logan?" The green lion hopped down from the vines and started to walk away. Raven followed after him.

"It doesn't matter," he answered. "Hakuna matata."

"What?" Raven raised a brow.

"Hakuna matata," Logan clarified. "Its something I learned out here. You gotta learn to put your past behind you. So why worry?"

"Maybe because it's your responsibility!" Logan turned to face her.

"Well what about you Miss High-and Mighty? You left didn't you?" Logan almost shouted at her. Raven was almost taken aback by his frustration. What had happened to the fun-loving Logan she had known as a cub?

"I left to find help!" she defended. "I don't plan on remaining hidden like a coward! Logan, you are our only hope to turning things back to how they used to be!"

"That is no longer my problem," he replied calmly. "Sorry." Raven was shocked.

"What happened to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Sorry. Things change!" Logan saw the disappointment on her face. "Are you satisfied?" She shook her head.

"Just disappointed."

"You're starting to sound like my dad," the green lion said as he started to walk away from Raven once again.

"At least one of us does," Raven snapped. That stopped Logan in his tracks. He turned around and walked till he was face to face with Raven. She just stared defiantly back up at him.

"Listen! You think you can just show up and tell me how to run my life, and I'll listen to you like I used to?" he yelled in her face. "You don't know what I've been through!" Raven narrowed her eyes.

"I would if you would just tell me!" she shot back. The lion just scoffed and walked away.

"Just forget about it!" Raven growled in frustration.

"Fine!" She yelled at his retreating figure as he left Raven by waterfall. He walked out into the grasslands of the oasis. He started to pace in the tall grass.

"She's wrong. What would going back prove anyway? I mean, seriously, it wouldn't prove anything." He looked up at the sky and sighed. He remembered when he was cub how his dad would tell him about the past kings and the stars. If that was true then he truly needed his Marcus's guidance right now. "Dad, I really wish you were here right now," he said, barely audible. "You'd know what to do." Logan sighed and hung his head. Just then he heard someone singing something in an unfamiliar language. He looked up and saw a red baboon standing on a branch high up in a tree. Logan shook his head in annoyance and started to walk again. The baboon smiled and swung down to a lower branch and hummed the tune.

He walked across a log bridge and laid across it, and rested his head on top of his paws. He was looking at the water below when a pebble was thrown into the water. He looked up to see the red baboon from before and a black monkey sitting on a limb hanging over where Logan was laying. The red baboon started to sing that tune again. Logan sighed. "Would you cut that out dude?" The black monkey gave an apologetic look.

"Kori, maybe you should stop annoying him," he said to his companion. The baboon – Kori – suddenly stopped and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

"Sorry dear friend, but that tune is very catchy," she apologized. "But Rich, wouldn't it just grow back if I 'cut it out' as he so stated?" Rich smirked but shook his head. Logan rolled his eyes. He really wasn't in the mood for this.

"Who are you guys?" Kori smirked.

"The better question my dear friend would be, who are you?" Logan raised an eyebrow.

"Logan," he responded. Kori and Rich both shook their heads.

"That's not what she meant," Rich stated.

"Then what did she mean?"

"I meant who _are_ you?" Kori replied putting emphasis on the word 'are'. Logan sighed.

"Then I don't know."

"We do. You're Marcus's son," Rich said. Logan's eyes widened just slightly. Both monkeys looked at each other and nodded before taking off in the opposite direction of the lion. Logan ran after them. He found them sitting down on top of a rocky hill.

"You two knew my dad?"

"Correction," Kori replied. "we know your father." Logan raised a brow and looked at Rich, who nodded.

"I'm sorry to say this guys but he…died two years ago," the lion replied sadly. Kori shook her head in the same manner.

"Sorry to say this but you are wrong again my green friend!" the red baboon said cheerfully before her and Rich took off again, followed again by Logan. They both started to crawl through a borrow of vines, Logan not too far behind. He ran, following the two prim apes when he suddenly almost plowed straight into Kori. She motioned him to be very quiet and walked over to a small pool that was in the middle of a clearing, which Rich stood by, and motioned for him to come over. Once he got to where he could see the pool he sighed in disappointment. All he could see was his reflection, and he told them this. Rich and Kori both shook their heads.

"Look again," Kori commanded gently. Logan looked again, trying real hard to see what the baboon wanted him to see. Slowly, his reflection shifted into that of Marcus. Logan's eyes widened in awe. "You see? He lives in you Logan." The wind started to pick up and Logan looked up to the sky to see clouds gathering and slowly they took the shape of Marcus.

"Logan," his father's voice said, which sounded like thunder. "My dear boy, you have forgotten yourself. And so you have forgotten me." Logan shook his head. "You must return to the Pride lands and take back what was rightfully yours," Marcus's apparition continued.

"How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be!" Logan asked. Marcus's reply was,

"Remember who you are." He started to fade as the clouds rolled away from the young green lion.

"Wait! Dad! Don't go!" Logan cried as he tried to chase him but Marcus soon disappeared with his voice still echoing through the sky. Logan looked ahead of him, appearing to be in deep thought.

"Very strange weather we're having. Wouldn't you agree Rich?" Kori asked from beside the green lion with a knowing smile.

"Very," the black monkey replied with the same smile. Logan looked at them and then smirked.

"The winds are changing," he agreed with a very toothy grin. Suddenly he felt something whack him on top of the head. "Ow!" he cried as he started to rub the spot that had been hit. He looked over to find that Rich had acquired a very long stick. The black monkey was smirking while Kori tried to stifle a small laugh. "What was that for?" Rich shrugged.

"Some motivation," he replied. "The longer you stay here, the harder I'm going to hit you with this stick." Kori rolled her green eyes.

"Is that really necessary Friend Rich?" she asked with a small smile. Rich shrugged again.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Logan glared at the black monkey. The monkey started to raise the stick again.

"Ok! Ok! I'm going!" he said. Rich smirked and gave a look to Kori that said 'see?'. Kori simply shook her head in amusement and was about to say something when Rich gave out a shout of protest.

"Hey give me back my stick!" Logan was running from the ape with the stick clasped in his mouth when he chucked it as far as he could and continued to run from his pursuer. "That's right you better run! Get out of here!" he said with a laugh as he stopped chasing the green lion and gave a mission accomplished look to Kori who had a huge grin on her face.

Logan continued to run and he didn't know if it was from the hit to the head or just luck but he now had a very good idea what was to be done and he was going to go through with the plan he had. But before he could do that, he needed to get to Pride Rock. Logan's stomach did a flip at the thought but he needed to set things right. Slade would no longer be ruining the Pride Lands, his home. Not if he had any say in the matter.


	8. The King Has Returned

"Hey, wake up." Wally, who was sleeping on top of Vic's stomach, opened his eyes to see a grey lion.

"Whoa!" Wally flew back in surprise and landed on the dirt, waking Vic up in the process. The meerkat sat up and rubbed the back of his head. "Well that was a wake up call I never want to have again." Vic chuckled and rolled over onto his feet. Raven rolled her eyes, her patience running thin.

"Have either of you seen Logan? I've been looking everywhere for him." Wally raised a brow.

"Wasn't he with you? Don't tell me there's trouble in paradise already," the rodent commented.

"He was, but we had a slight disagreement and now I can't find him," Raven replied. There was a sound from above and she looked up to the tree. "Kori! Rich! What are you doing here?" Both monkeys dropped onto the ground, smiles on both their faces.

"Hello Raven. I'm afraid you won't find Logan here," the red baboon replied. Raven looked to Rich.

"She's right. The king has retuned," the black monkey stated. Raven's eyes widened slightly and then a small smile spread across her face.

"He's gone back." Wally and Vic gave each other a confused look.

"Gone back where?" asked Wally.

"The Pride Lands. Home," answered Raven with a wistful smirk.

******* Logan walked through the now destroyed Pride Lands, a look of shock and horror playing across his face. He couldn't believe that in just two years things had gotten that bad. All the trees and plants were dead and the sky was a perpetual grey. Skeletons littered the ground as Logan stepped around them onto a rock that jutted out of the ground. It looked worse from the view up there. Logan turned his head at the sound of steps behind him.

"It's awful isn't it?" Raven asked sadly. Logan nodded.

"I can't believe it. So much has changed."

"What made you come back?"

"A monkey with a stick," Logan replied. "Besides its time I stopped hiding and started acting like the king I'm supposed to be." A proud smile spread across Raven's face.

"Then I'll be right beside you. No matter what."

"It's going to be dangerous," Logan said with a smirk.

"Danger? My middle name is danger," Raven replied, using his words from the Elephant Graveyard.

"Hey don't forget about us!" Both lions turned to see Wally and Vic. "So…we're going to fight your uncle for this?" Wally asked looking around the Pride Lands. "Well, alright then. So what's the plan?"

***** "Hyenas. I hate hyenas," stated Wally nervously. All four of them were hiding behind a ledge examining Pride Rock, which was covered with hyenas. "So what's your plan to get by them?"

"Live bait," Logan replied.

"Good idea!" Wally commented, but then the whole meaning hit him. "Hey!" Raven spoke up.

"Come on, you two need to create a diversion so Logan and I can get by."

"What do you want us to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?"

******* _Luau!_

_If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat_

_Eat my buddy Vic here because he is a treat_

_Come on down and dine on this tasty swine_

_All you have to do is get in line_

Wally sang as Vic sat there with an apple in his mouth. Now this certainly got the hyenas attention as their mouths started to water and they sauntered toward the duo. Raven and Logan took this opportunity to sneak past.

_Are you achin_

_For some bacon_

_He's a big pig_

_You can be a big pig too_

_Oy _

Wally and Vic took off in a flash as the meat eaters took off after them. Logan stopped Raven in the shadow of an overhanging rock. "Raven, find my mother and get the other lionesses together. I'm going to find Slade." Raven nodded and headed for the crowd. Logan was slinking around when he heard Slade call his mother's name.

"Marie!" Logan looked around from his hiding spot and saw his mother, head held high, making her way through the mob of hyenas, which were snarling and snapping at her heels. Logan watched with a sad expression.

"Slade," she said in monotone. Slade scowled down at her. He was not in a good mood.

"Where is your hunting party?" he asked. "They're not doing their job," he said pacing as he spoke.

"There is no food. The herds moved on long ago," Marie replied.

"No, you're just not looking hard enough," the orange lion tried to reason.

"Its over. We need to leave Pride Rock and search for a new home."

"We are not going anywhere!"

"Then you have sentenced us to death!"

"So be it then."

"You can't do that Slade!"

"I can do anything. I. Am. King!"

"Marcus was twice the king you-" Marie was cut off when Slade slapped her across the face, knocking her to the ground.

"I am ten times the king Marcus ever was!" Logan couldn't take it anymore. There was a huge roar and then he jumped to his mother's side. "Marcus? No, you're dead!" Slade stepped back away from the lion he thought was his supposed-to-be-dead brother. Logan nudged his mother. She looked and her eyes went slightly wide at the sight of Logan.

"Marcus?" she asked. Logan shook his head.

"Mom, it's me."

"Logan? You're alive? How…how can that even be possible?" She was truly baffled. Logan smirked and nuzzled Marie.

"Logan, what a pleasant surprise to see you…alive," Slade said, sending a pointed look at the hyena trio, who gulped and backed away from Slade's sight. Logan started to walk toward Slade.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't rip you apart," Logan threatened. Slade didn't seem at all intimidated.

"Well the pressures of ruling a kingdom are quite hard. Surely, dear boy, you understand that."

"Those pressures are no longer yours then. Step down Slade," Logan stated as he stared eye level with his uncle.

"I would love to, truly, I would. But there's one problem. Look up." Logan did and saw a hoard of hyenas watching with varied interest. "You see they think I'm king," continued Slade, regaining Logan's attention.

"Well we don't." Both lions turned to see Raven and the other lionesses. Slade glared at the grey lion with utter contempt. "Logan is the only rightful king."

"The choice is simple dude. Either step down or fight." Slade stared at Logan.

"Well I see you haven't changed at all Logan. Still acting as naïve as a cub." the orange lion walked passed Logan "And I hate to be responsible for the death of a family member." Slade looked over his shoulder with a devious smirk. "Right, Logan?" He smirked slyly at the green lion.

"That isn't going to work Slade, that's behind me," Logan snapped. Slade looked over at the lionesses.

"What about them, have they put it behind them? Hmmm?" Raven stepped forward with a confused expression.

"Logan? What is he talking about?" Logan's face showed a look of guilt and sorrow. Slade couldn't have been more delighted.

"Oh, so you haven't told them your shameful secret. Well my dear nephew, now's the time to tell everyone here. Who is responsible for Marcus's death?" Raven, Marie and the other lionesses stared at Logan. The green lion gave a deep sigh, and sadly said, almost so low no one could hear,

"I am." The lionesses gasped and Raven stood there stunned. Marie went to Logan with so much grief in her eyes.

"It's not true," she begged him. "Please tell me it isn't true." Hearing his mother's heartbroken words made Logan flinch. The green lion regretfully looked into Marie's eyes.

"It's the truth."

"He admits it! Murderer!" Slade shouted as lightning flashed across the sky.

"No, It was an accident!" Logan yelled. Slade began to circle Logan.

"If wasn't for you, Marcus would still be alive. Do you deny it?" Logan quickly replied,

"No." Slade snarled.

"Then...you're...guilty!" Logan shook his head.

"No! I'm not a murderer!" the green lion desperately defended himself. Slade, with the hyenas following him, started stalking Logan, making him back up onto the ledge of Pride Rock.

"Logan, it would seem you're in trouble again. But this time daddy isn't here to save you. And now everyone...knows...why!" On Slade's last words Logan slipped over the edge, hanging onto it for dear life. Lightning struck at the dead trees below Pride Rock, igniting fire under the green lion.

"Logan!" Raven shouted, as she tried to get to him, but the snarling hyenas blocked her path. Slade sat there looking at Logan with twisted amusement.

"This looks familiar," he hummed, acting like he was thinking. "Now I remember, your father had the same fear in his eyes before he died." Slade grabbed Logan's paws with his claws, and then the orange lion leaned in to whisper, "Like father, like son. And let me let you in on my secret... I...killed... Marcus." Logan's eyes widened, as he played the events of that day all over again. The sound of over one million hooves running, the thick choking dust, and his father yelling as he fell to his death.

"Nooooooo!" Logan roared and with strength that he didn't even know he had, managed to leap back up and pin Slade beneath him. Everyone was caught completely by surprise, even Slade, but he covered it up quickly. Logan growled showing his teeth.

"You! Tell them the truth! NOW!" Slade smirked.

"Truth? What truth...ggkkk!" Logan pressed down on Slade's throat.

The orange lion gagged "Alright...I did it." Slade said it in a low voice. Logan snarled.

"Louder!" Slade, with a stern face yelled,

"I KILLED MARCUS!" That's when the hyenas tackled Logan off of Slade, and the lionesses quickly rushed into attacking the hyenas with their teeth and claws. Raven swiped at the hyenas on Logan, who quickly got back on his feet. The green lion and Raven both began fighting off the hyenas. Suddenly something went charging through the crowd of meat-eaters, sending them flying into the air.

"Excuse me! Pardon me! Hot stuff, comin' through!" shouted Wally as he and Vic came barreling in. Vic stopped and Wally hopped off Vic and quickly kicked a hyena in the face. Then the duo went their way, helping out wherever they could.

*** Logan grabbed a hyena and tossed him a good few feet away. From a cliff above, a hyena jumped onto Logan and bit him on the neck causing the green lion to roar in pain. Then something smacked the hyena off him and Logan looked up to see Rich with a familiar looking stick in his hand. The black monkey shouted a battle cry and flipped into a group of hyenas. They lunged at Rich but he kicked one in the face, and then whacked another with his stick and Rich quickly smacked three more. The monkey looked around at the beaten hyenas as he spun the stick in his hand.

"I'm starting too really like this stick," Rich said proudly. A hyena was sneaking behind him when someone threw a rock and hit the hyena's head making it yelp. Rich turned around and punched him, effectively knocking him out. "Thanks Kori," the black monkey said, looking to the top of a nearby cliff where Kori was, rocks ready to throw. She smiled.

"You are welcome friend Rich."

*** Wally ran for his life as Jinx and Mammoth chased after him, snapping their teeth. The meerkat ran into the den and saw Garth.

"Let me out! Let me out!" shouted the hornbill from his cage.

"Let me in! Let me in!" Wally screamed back and went inside the cage with the two hyenas behind him. Jinx and Mammoth started to lick their lips as Wally and Garth both gulped, believing that this was the end.

"Back away from the snacks!" yelled a voice. Jinx and Mammoth turned to see Vic standing at the entrance.

"Who's the pig?" the big hyena asked gruffly. Vic raised a brow.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Uh-oh, he called him a pig." Wally whispered to Garth

"Are you talking to me?" Vic asked, raising his voice.

"He shouldn't have done that…" Wally said warningly as he pointed at Mammoth.

"Are you talking to ME?" shouted Vic.

"Now they're in for it!" said Wally, rolling his eyes at Vic's overdramatic-ness.

"They call me 'Mr. Pig'!" Vic screamed, as he charged toward the two hyenas. Gizmo was outside the den looking for his crew, when he heard a loud crashing sound coming from the den. Seconds later Mammoth and Jinx came storming out and slammed into Gizmo and with that the trio ran away. Vic, Wally and the freed Garth appeared out of the den cheering. "Booyah! That's what I'm talking about!" Vic shouted happily.

*** Pride Rock glowed orange from the fire as the smoke was reached high into the sky. The hyenas began running away from the kingdom figuring the battle wasn't worth being barbequed. Logan searched for Slade, scanning the rocks above and around him. The green lion looked over at the path that led to the top of Pride Rock and saw something in the shadows. Just then lightning flashed, revealing Slade sitting there and when the lightning struck again, Slade had all but vanished. Logan snarled and chased after him. The green lion jumped through a wall of flame to reach the top and came face to face with Slade who was standing by the edge, waiting with a cold stare. Logan walked over to him glaring as he did.

"Slade, you tormented what's left of my family and destroyed my home, this ends tonight."

Slade scoffed "I assure you dear boy, that I had nothing to do how the Pride Lands becoming a barren wasteland. Those filthy, mangy, low brain-celled hyenas did all that." Unknown to Slade was that Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo were standing behind the wall of flames and heard every word. The trio growled and backed away.

"No, Slade. I blame you." Logan stood in front of Slade, staring hatefully at his uncle, "You made me believe that I had killed my own dad." The orange lion was not intimidated and calmly asked,

"So what are you going to do now? Kill me?" Logan took a deep breathe.

"No. That would only prove I'm as bad as you, Slade. I want you to run. Run away... and never come back." After hearing those words, Slade slowly started walking away.

"As you wish..." Slade looked down and saw a pile of burning ember by his paw. "..you're Majesty!" He swiped his paw through the embers and sent them flying in Logan's face. With a cry of surprise and pain, Logan tried to wipe away the embers but Slade tackled him down onto the ground, biting at Logan's throat. Suddenly something knocked Slade off. The orange lion turned to see Raven, who now stood between him and Logan.

"Get away from him!" she threatened between bared teeth.

"Ah, dear Raven, perfect timing as usual." They began circling each other and Slade swiped at her but Raven swiftly dodged and pounced on him, which Slade managed to overpower her and pin the grey lioness to the ground, knocking the wind out of her. "And to think I wanted you to be my queen. It almost pains me that I have to kill such a promising young lioness," Slade said coldly. "Almost." Slade heard a roar and then was knocked off of Raven by Logan. "Get off me!" Slade shouted and tossed Logan off. Raven got up and clawed Slade right across his face. The orange lion snarled and hit Raven with the back of his paw sending her back down to the hard ground. Slade lunged at Logan again but this time the green lion was ready for him. The two lions were now standing on their hind legs, clawing at each others shoulders.

Logan hit Slade's face hard as the orange lion attacked without mercy with a swipe across the face then another. The force of the last one made Logan land on his back next to Raven. Time seemed to slow down as Slade leaped into the air with his claws out, ready to finish them both.

"Logan, flip him!" Raven yelled. Logan nodded at her and Slade just about had the younger lions when they managed to push the older lion over the edge of Pride Rock. Logan and Raven walked over to the edge and looked over to see that Slade had landed on a rock where the fire had not been able to reach. But what surprised them the most was that Slade actually survived the fall. Slade got up and looked around and from out of the smoke appeared the hyena trio, staring coldly at Slade.

"Ah, my dear friends," Slade said in a relaxed voice. Jinx gave a humorless chuckle.

"Oh so now we're your 'friends'? Earlier you said we're nothing but filthy, mangy, low brain-celled hyenas." Slade's eye widened.

"Yep that's what I heard," agreed Gizmo.

"Mammoth?" both Jinx and Gizmo asked. The giant hyena started licking his chops and gruffly said,

"I say we stop talking and start eating." More hyenas started to appear, laughing and licking their lips as they moved closer to Slade. The white-manned lion had nowhere to run, and was too weak to fight. But if he was going to die he wasn't going beg for his life like a coward. So he closed his eye with his head held high as the hyenas lunged at him and began eating him alive. Logan and Raven looked away from the grizzly sight.

"It's over," Logan said softly. Raven nodded her head in relief and managed a smile at Logan. Rain started to pour down upon the Pride Lands, putting out the fires and soaking the land in what it had been missing for so long. Raven and Logan climbed down to the base of Pride Rock where the other lionesses were waiting for them. Logan nuzzled his mother, happy that she was safe. Raven smiled at him and he nuzzled her, which she returned. Marie and Arella smiled at the two and shared a knowing look. Someone cleared their throat politely and Logan looked up to see both Rich and Kori standing on the path that led to the mouth of the landmark. Kori gestured to the peak, and Logan smirked slightly. He took a deep breath and began to ascend to where the monkeys stood, and once there he pulled them both into a hug, catching them off guard. It didn't take Kori long to return it with ten times the strength.

"Ok…Kori…can't…breath!" Logan and Rich both managed to choke out. Kori quickly let go and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, sending them both an apologetic look.

"It is time Friend Logan," Kori stated, after she regained her composure. Logan nodded and started to make his way to the peak of Pride Rock as all the lions, Wally, Vic, and Garth watched with satisfied smirks on their faces. Logan looked up at the sky and smiled before he roared, which all the lionesses joined in on, as rain continued to fall.

"Yeah! That's our little bro!" Vic yelled as he cheered on Logan. Wally rubbed his nose as his eyes started to tear up.

"I promised myself I wasn't gonna cry!" he said before he started to cry into his arm. Both Vic and Garth shared a look before they both rolled their eyes at the yellow and red meerkat.

**** Time passed, and Pride Rock once again was full of life, grass, and water. It was no longer a desolate wasteland full of bones. A crowd of animals was gathered at the base of Pride Rock looking up at Logan, Raven, Wally, and Vic. Raven looked over at Logan who was looking at her before he nuzzled her. She smiled.

"Told you you're the king, Elf," she said playfully. Logan rolled his eyes in the same manner. They smiled at each other.

"I think its time we introduce someone," Logan stated, smiling proudly. Raven nodded and they both turned to see Kori, with Rich right behind her, holding a small grayish-green cub. She smiled at them before holding up the baby for all to see. The animals went wild.

_On the path unwinding_

_In the Circle_

_The Circle of Life _

_Circle of… _

_Life…_


End file.
